Table of Content
Both HUD and the DEPT of Energy recommend spray foam for the under belly of mobile homes since it has equal R-value and isn’t affected by critters or water like fiberglass batts. One of the big problems with insulation we already touched on in this piece – it’s usually not very good for existing mobile homes. That’s largely because, in an effort to keep the cost of mobile homes down, manufacturers cut certain corners.
The most important factor when choosing an insulation material is its R-value so let’s start with that. Mobile home insulation is one of the home improvement areas that is the most oversimplified. When someone brings up insulation, most people only think of fiberglass rolls or insulating foams in large quantities, covering an entire area. The most important thing to know when it comes to mobile home insulation standards is the all-important R-value. I mentioned the R-value of your home’s insulation earlier, so allow me to explain a little bit more about what that means for you and your home. The “R” in R-value stands for “resistance” or the ability of the insulation to resist the transfer of heat.
Using Fiberglass to Insulate Under a Mobile Home
Different insulation materials will have different R-values. To choose the best insulation you’ll need to consider the installation ease or difficulty, the costs, and the R-Value you get for your money and effort. We hope this collection of tips and information ensures that your next mobile home insulation makes your space 100% weathertight. As a massive bonus, you will make significant steps towards becoming more energy efficient, saving money and doing mother nature a big favor. In the long run, insulating your home properly is a win-win for everyone.
Chases running down the walls – These fixtures are common at chimneys and so on but pose a significant conundrum when it comes to insulation. Knee walls and soffits – Places where the roof is raised, or varying between different heights, are hard to insulate correctly. Your choice in R-value depends on your type of roof, floor, and location, but you should aim for at least R30-50 in your roof and R15-30 in the floor. The link above has a complete table detailing how to calculate your R-values. Before we get to the home itself and the problems that generally arise concerning insulation, we want to give you a rundown on what materials are available.
The Rewards of Installing Insulation in a Mobile Home
Rigid foam boards might also be a fire hazard so are usually covered in gypsum. For both older and modern mobile homes with irregular wall spacing, this is a very effective insulating solution. A mobile home’s thinner walls are perfect for spray foam insulation because of their excellent ability to fit into small spaces. The most common type of insulation method for mobile homes is fiberglass insulation. In addition, open cell spray foam is also a great choice and can be sprayed straight into the rim joist and onto the skirting. Foam board would require as much cutting as the rolls and batts but it may be easier to handle because it’s rigid.
The windows are sealed with silicone and flashed to prevent air infiltration. All floor sheathing is glued to the trusses and interior paneling is glued to the wall studs, both of which reduce air infiltration. I recently wrote an article about insulating a mobile home. In the energy guides I’ve read, they tested foam against the blown insulation and blown had a better R-Vlaue. I’d stick to the foam board, the pink rolls, or the blown in.
How to insulate under a mobile home
However, a lot of mobile homeowners have never given any thought to how well insulated their house is. First your ducts run close to the underside of the floor, then your water lines are typically close to that. Your insulation is then installed and NOT tightly as you need air space. This allows the radiant heat from the ducts to circulate around the water lines to help prevent freezing in the winter. I am getting my information together for materials and approximate cost to replace the entire underbelly of my 24x48 double wide.
A layer of quality R22 insulation is used in the subfloor and R11 in the walls. The exact type and R-value of the insulation used in your new Clayton Built® manufactured home will vary based on the home, the facility where it’s built and the home’s final location. The thermal load zone then determines the maximum amount of heat transmission, or U/O value, for a home. So keeping up with the the caulking around the exterior and making sure the belly board is intact will help to bring down your energy bills. When using blanket-style insulation in the walls of a mobile home, either the exterior or interior walls will need to be removed to have full access. Batts may also be fitted in the underbelly by opening the factory-installed membrane that covers the plumbing and replacing with strips to keep the batting in place when finished.
And, I know the underbelly is absolutely vital to a mobile home and should be tear-free and sealed well so that critters can’t get in and heat doesn’t escape. It is recommended that all mobile and manufactured homes have a ground moisture barrier. A barrier is usually just a polyethylene plastic sheeting placed directly on the ground and secured under the home to act as another shield between earth and home. Spray foam insulation has come a long way since it first hit the market.
I am working to fix this hopefully before the cold weather arrives in and around the November/December time frame. It’s best that you use insulation or foam around the pipes, not newspaper since there’s really no insulation qualities and it isn’t fireproof . It is common to have to add insulation after plumbing upgrades or changes so that makes sense – just not the newspaper. You can get a roll of insulation for less than $30 and use whatever is left between the joists under your home. When they added the new pipe, they had to cut through the black plastic stapled to the bottom of the home.
Mobile homes usually come with some form of insulation, but it is often thin and not very effective. If you want a DIY approach, it’s easy enough to use insulation mats or boards and fasten them to the bottom of your home. You can also use wool and keep it in place with mesh wiring and staples.
If you don’t insulate your basement wall you can install R-30 in the floor. The other item to consider is how you will be using your basement. If you are heating your basement you will probably want to insulate your foundation walls.
Still, spraying foam insulation yourself is a smart mobile home improvement project that can save a ton of money on heating and cooling and make your home more comfortable. Older mobile homes with vertical metal siding will do well with the sidewall stuffing technique. The metal siding is installed with screws attached to a horizontal belt rail.
No comments:
Post a Comment